Clyde Mitchell - Music Director

Canadian-American Conductor Clyde Mitchell studied piano, organ, and French Horn before deciding to pursue a career in music. Music Performance degrees from Louisiana State University (B. Mus.) and Cal. State U-Northridge (Master of Arts in Music) led to a performing career in Bogotá, Colombia, Tucson, Arizona, and Montreal, Quebe. In Montreal, he was Associate Principal l Horn in the prestigious Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit, and was Professor of Horn and Chamber Music Studies and Conductor of the Brass Choir at McGill University.

Conducting studies at CSU-Long Beach (Master of Music) and USC (Artist Diploma) led to Music Director positions in Canada and the US, including Resident Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony. Clyde has won several important conducting awards and competitions, including Canada’s Heinz Unger Award as “Canada’s Most Promising Conductor” in 1995, and the US National Conductor’s Award in 1991. Clyde’s guest conducting appearances include all of Canada’s major orchestras, as well as many other orchestras and opera companies including Houston, Rochester, South America, Asia, Europe, US, and Canada.

Clyde Mitchell is an outspoken advocate for music education, and regularly conducts and holds workshops for Honour Bands and Orchestras across North America. A fun additional career sees Clyde as a guest speaker and host for classical music radio and television shows.

Clyde is founding Conductor and Music Director of Lions Gate Sinfonia and the new Lions Gate Youth Orchestra. He recently moved to Los Angeles, where his wife, Sarah Jackson, plays Solo Piccolo with the world-famous Los Angeles Philharmonic. Sarah and Clyde love their two cats, and enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures, languages, food, and wine.